TEACHING NOTES ‌ Introduction Today we celebrate Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the crowds praised Him as their King. We’re going to read that story toward the end, but first we need to understand the background of the story. Before we try to understand Jesus as King, we need to understand the concept of the kingdom of God in the storyline of the Bible. So, today we’re going to focus on the biblical concept of the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? Or a better question: Who is the kingdom of God? ‌ What is a kingdom? Since we live in a materialistic culture, we think of a kingdom in physical terms. So, when we think about a kingdom we think about things like: a castle or palace, gold and jewels, expensive attire, and elaborate banquets. People who live in a democracy might also think of a constitution, personal rights, laws, and even entitled benefits. This is how Western people think about a kingdom. However, the authors of the Bible were Eastern people. In the Bible, a kingdom is less of a what and more of a who. ‌ In the Beginning: ‌ Genesis 1:26 ESV 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ‌ The image of God = Humanity is created in God’s image (Heb. selem - a created representation) and likeness (Heb. demut - similarity). Humanity was created to represent God and be like Him. Humans are created with godly abilities like: intelligence, creativity, consciousness, love, compassion, and freewill. ‌ Dominion = Heb. radah - to rule over, direct, lead, manage or govern. Since God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, humanity is created to be God’s co-rulers of the earth. In other words, God is the Owner and humanity is God’s managers of creation. This is still true today, which is why the world is the way it is. ‌ Genesis 2:15–17 ESV 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” ‌ Garden = In the original languages of the Bible, both the Hebrew (gan) and the Greek translation (paradeisos) refers to a sacred walled garden. This is a sacred or holy space that is difference from the rest of the world. ‌ Work it and keep it = This Hebrew phrase (bd v smr) is only used here and in the descriptions of what they priests were to do in the Tabernacle (a mobile garden of Eden). Adam and Eve were tasked with the job of serving and maintaining the garden. This is the exact job of Israel’s priests—serving and maintaining a sacred space. A priest is a mediator between God and others. ‌ God commanded the man = Humanity is expected to follow and obey God’s commands. God has a certain way or order to how His creation is to be ruled and He expects His co-rulers to lead by obedience. Why? Obedience keeps things in order and disobedience leads to chaos. ‌ In the beginning God is King, the garden is His palace/temple, the world is His kingdom, and humans are His citizens. ‌ As we know, all begins “very good” but quickly takes a turn in Gen. 3. Humanity is in such disobedience that they are devouring each other. Even after the flood, humanity continues to reject God and worship rebellious spirits. After the Tower of Babel, humanity is dispersed and given over to their own desires. Then, just as God did with Adam and Eve, God chooses one family to build a kingdom. ‌ Genesis 12:1–3 ESV 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” ‌ I will make you a great nation = A nation is a kingdom. In the Bible, a kingdom or a nation is a people. The Hebrew word for “nation” is goy, or in Greek ethnos. God tells Abram (who’s name means “exalted father”) that He is going to make his family into a great kingdom. Abram is later renamed Abraham, which means “father of multitudes.” Abraham’s grandson will be Jacob, who God renames Israel, which means “those who struggle with God.” ‌ In you all the families of earth shall be blessed = The purpose of this kingdom that God will create through Abraham is to bless all the other nations of the entire world. Israel was never the end-goal, but the means to the end-goal. ‌ Centuries later, God rescues Israel from slavery in Egypt. After passing through the Red Sea (a kind of baptism), they arrive at Mt. Sinai. Moses goes up the mountain to meet with God and discuss the next phase of God’s plan for Israel. ‌ Exodus 19:5–6 ESV 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” ‌ Obey my voice, keep my covenant = Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, they are called to listen and obey God’s voice. The same Hebrew word for “keep” used in Gen. 2:15 is also used here (smr). ‌ You will be my treasured possession = Of all the nations/families of the earth, God has chosen Israel to be His very own “special” people. ‌ A holy kingdom of priests = Israel is to be a special (holy) family of priests, who represent God to others and bring them closer to their Heavenly Father. ‌ Israel was a unique kingdom of people who know their King closely, introduce Him to others, and help them grow in their relationship with Him. ‌ Israel was the kingdom of God on earth with the presence of God at the center. ‌ As we know, Israel’s history is filled with failure. After they get to the Promised Land, the people of Israel ultimately decide that they do not want God to be their King and they don’t want to be special (1 Sam. 8). They want to be just like all the other nations. Centuries of struggle and disobedience follow. The Old Testament ends with Israel waiting on the arrival of their Messiah King to come “save” them. ‌ When the New Testament begins, Israel is yet again under the rule of another evil nation. Just as Israel had been ruled by and rescued from Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece, now Israel was ruled by Rome. Then a Jewish Rabbi from a nowhere village begins preaching an interesting sermon. ‌ Matthew 4:17 ESV 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ‌ The kingdom of heaven is at hand = The Greek word for “is at hand” is engizo, which literally means “has arrived” or “has come near.” Jesus did not preach that His kingdom was coming thousands of years later. Jesus said that when He arrived, the kingdom came with Him. Wherever the King is, His kingdom is there with Him. ‌ Misunderstanding: Many of the Jewish people thought that Jesus had arrived to drive out the Romans and restore God’s kingdom to the nationstate of Israel. They were still thinking that God’s plan is all about Israel. They missed the fact that Israel was intended to bring all nations back to God. ‌ Matthew 4:23 ESV 23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. ‌ The Gospel of the kingdom = Jesus wasn’t preaching some new or obscure message. Jesus was picking up where the Old Testament left off. The Gospel (good news of victory) is all about God setting up His kingdom on earth. Israel had repeatedly failed to “work and keep” the kingdom. Jesus came to restore and rebuild God’s kingdom. ‌ John 12:12–13 ESV 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” ‌ After Jesus rides into Jerusalem hailed as King, He goes around town acting like He owns the place. He criticizes the leaders of Jerusalem and the experts of the Bible by declaring that they don’t know God or the Bible. He flips tables in the temple and drives people out of “His Father’s house.” Then Jesus declares that the temple and the entire city would be destroyed within that generation. Israel would once again be defeated and scattered. ‌ God never intended His kingdom to be all about Israel and their temple building. God wanted to build a kingdom of people who have the Spirit of God in the center of their hearts. ‌ Jesus is claiming to be God the King. ‌ Israel’s leaders respond the same way they did the last time God wanted to be their King. They arrest Jesus, falsely charge Him with blasphemy and treason, and deliver Him Rome, who were their own enemies. ‌ John 19:1–2 ESV 1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. ‌ John 19:5–6 ESV 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” ‌ John 19:15–16 ESV 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. ‌ Two Crowds of People: ‌1. Praise Jesus our King! ‌2. We have no king! ‌ Forty years after the crucifixion, those who rejected Jesus as King were destroyed by the same Romans who they declared was their king. But those who declared their allegiance to Jesus became the kingdom of God. ‌ 1 Peter 2:9 ESV 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ‌ Titus 2:11–14 ESV 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. ‌ Conclusion ‌Today we are faced with the same choice. Which crowd will you join? For those of us who want to know God and be with Him, we declare our allegiance and faithfulness to Jesus as our King. And through worship and Communion we put Him at the center of our lives. This makes us the kingdom of God.